The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-10-26
The prohibItIon Movement.

! EDIroR HEgALD -
Sr lit is generally admitted by all fair
minded persons that the Prohibition party
draws its following more largely from the
| Republican than from the Democratic party
/ Hon. g. 5 Wolfe admits this fact, and seems
70 feel good over il. The exact percentage
contributed By the respective parties TO the
! Prohibition movement IS not known. but ii
| safe to say that from % 10 75 per cent comes
from the Republican party
suppose it were possible for the Prvhibi-
ton movement TO draw from The Republican
party a following large eir5ls,.l 10 defeat Il
this fall, what benefit would the country or
the Prohibition movement derive from il
| No intelligent man wouli disgrace his iHiel-
lect to argue that the defeat of the Republi-
| can party would bring victory to the Prohi-
bition movement. If the Republican party
is defeated the Democratic party and not the
! Prohibition movement, will be the yictors.
No intelligent man will dispute this. What
does the Democratic party promise. in the
way Of temperance legislation. if successful
at the polls? The repeal Of the "a high license
amendment is what that party promises
Can any one dispute this Ii is what the
party promises and what il will do if it gets
control of the Legislature. | again inquire
what benefit the country and the cause Of
temperance would derive from the defeat Of
the Republican party and the success of the
Democratic party No sane man would be
willing To say that the casise of temperance
had been subserved by such a result. Ii is
equally true that if the Prohibition move
ment, "a political movement, amounts to
anything, that il will circumvent the success i.
of the Republican party. The most formid
able enemy Of the temperance cause is found
in the Prohibition poiiticut mouemet and the
Democratic party.
WHY does the Prohibition movement draw
! more largely from the Republican than the
Democratic party 1t must beadmiitei that
il is because it contains more temperance adj
vocaiIes than the Democratic party. There
are at least three temperance men in the Re
publican party to one in the Democratic par
ty Why then try to defeat the best temper
ance party? Why don't the Prohibitionists
mite with the best temperance party and
cary it triamphantly through at the polls
Would this not be wisdom Why not do as
the Abolition party did in ls60-unite with
the parry that promises the most and can do
the most Had the old Abolition party done
as the advocates of political Prohibition are
doing slavery in North America would still
A Al.
were desperately iii earnest and at once fell
in with the Republican party because it
promised, not to abolish slavery, but 10 OPP
pose It's extension beyond its then existing
limits. 1t makes one feel sick when ne hears
one of those political Prohibitionists say
Well, the Abolitionists were despised, and
now we are sufferers with them for an equal
ly good cause Their suffering is for Office
only Those selfconstituted martyrs are
more the subject of contempt than objects Of
commiseration.
The Abolitionists were wise men aud by
uniting with the Republican party accom-
plised their ends 80 can the temperance
workers accomplish every honest aud lawful
purpose by voting with the anti Whiskey
party.
Not only is there danger in displacing the
Republican party because it would defeat
Temperance measures now well begun, but
there is a desperate effort being made to re-
peal our sunday laws, and the Democratic
party and the whiskey dealers are united
in an effort to accomplish il. The liquor
men pay a certain percentage of their income
into the Democratic campaign fund. A pOr
ton Of that money is used to orgrnize " Per-
sonal Liberty Leagues" What do these
leagues want - Free wbiskey and no sun
day7 Is their object In the state Of New
York those leagues are liberal and agree 10
let Christian people have one-haif Of the day
but the other half must be unrestricted in
the sale of intoxicating drinks.
In conclusion | would inquire how much
the Prohibition party is doing to improve
the chances for the success of the Democratic
party and whiskey- seller Every Republi-
can that votes the Prohibition ticket casts
his vote, not for prohibition. but for whis-
key and no sunday MVcK.
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